Factors Affecting Academic Resilience During Crises: Cases of Secondary School Students in Phuket, Thailand

Abstract

Academic resilience is crucial in today’s crisis-prone society. This qualitative study explored the factors that shaped academic resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic to strengthen the global literature on resilience and postpandemic policy and practice in education. This study adopted a multiple-case study design, with the application of replication logic and data collection via semistructured interviews. The case studies featured interviews with three academically resilient students in Phuket and nine relevant informants, including parents, homeroom teachers, and local stakeholders. These interviews covered various factors surrounding personal qualities, families, peer groups, schools and teachers, communities and cultures, and the pandemic. Through thematic analysis, seven overarching themes emerged from the data: (1) achievement-oriented characteristics, (2) high aspirations, (3) COVID-19-driven adaptability, (4) self-directed learning in the use of online resources, (5) healthy family functioning, (6) role models, and (7) social support in the context of a giving culture.